Energising Development Programme – Sierra Leone

CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FROM A CONSULTING FIRM TO DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE DATA RESEARCH CENTRE (DRC) FOR THE ENDEV PROGRAMME SIERRA LEONE

PN: 14.2275.7-215.00

COSOFT NUMBER:83448876

Background

The Energising Development Programme, EnDev, is a multi-donor partnership initiative funded by the governments of the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Switzerland through their respective Ministries or Development Agencies, namely, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. EnDev supports access to modern, lasting, and affordable energy services to households, social enterprises, and SMEs in more than 20 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. EnDev Sierra Leone (SL) focuses on providing the following support services:

• Energy for household applications: provision of modern energy for lighting and small electrical appliances (e.g., information and communication technologies).
• Energy for cooking: provision of efficient and clean cooking, baking and space heating devices.
• Energy for social infrastructure (schools, hospitals, and community centres): provision of energy for the use of electricity as well as cooking and heating devices, and
• Energy for small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, and craftsmen: provision of modern energy services for productive use, for income generation.
• Access to Knowledge Information Management (KIM) – Access to Knowledge Information Management (KIM) – Through the promotion of data and information sharing, EnDev creates replicable knowledge. EnDev looks at IT solutions (such as E-Learning, EnDev collect App, data research, and interpretation through Geo space and satellite images) to strengthen impact verification in sustainable development policies and activities. EnDev collaborates with other national and international projects and fosters synergies in the Renewables sector.

Objective of the consultancy:

The company/institution has the key responsibility of implementing the roadmap for the establishment and initial operationalization of the data research centre. The company/institution is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Centre’s research efforts, developing, and implementing training guide, and ensuring the centre’s research activities are aligned with its mission and objectives.

Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities required of this role are:

• Promoting and facilitating leading-edge research, including collaborative and interdisciplinary research, in areas related to the goals of the Data Research Center (DRC)
• Developing networks between the research centre and researchers in the field in the public and private sectors, locally and internationally
• Implementation of the recently developed roadmap for the research centre.
• Supervising and mentoring research staff and ensuring that they have the resources and support they need to successfully carry out their work.
• Developing and maintaining partnerships with external institutions or organisations to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Ensuring that the centre’s research activities comply with the local, GIZ and the EU data protection guidelines and standards. 
• Overseeing the collection, analysis, and dissemination of research data and ensuring that it is accurate, complete, reliable, and publicly available according to international data dissemination guidelines.
• Participating in and contributing to the development of research policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Function:

• Acting as the nexus between the GIZ/EnDev, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) The International Growth Center (IGC) and Wageningen University (WU), the government of SL, national and international organizations with respect to research initiative of mutual benefit.
• Train technical experts with research skills necessary for conducting digital data research and impact evaluation studies.
• Provide access to modern digital platforms and technologies to enable monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Offer the opportunity of applying training and coaching to relevant projects and situations through internship and training of at least 6 students per terms.

Key Deliverables

The key deliverables expected for this offer are:

• Full implementation of the research centre’s roadmap
• Representing the interests of the research centre within Sierra Leone
• Developing strong linkages with appropriate academic departments, government ministries, local and international organizations and adding value to the DRC through:
• A. Aiding student recruitment and retention by enriching the research environment’
• B. Advancing curriculum 
• C. Mounting workshops and seminars
• D. Providing interdisciplinary research training and mentoring for computer geeks or enthusiast and 
• E. Regular communication of research centre activities and opportunities for partners and student’s involvement

Implementation time frame

From 26^th October 2023 to 26^th October 2025

 Eligibility criteria and documents to be submitted by the enterprise

• Eligibility
  • Proof of good standing, commercial qualification, payment of taxes and social benefits: Clearance certificate of NRA and NASSIT

• Based and registered in Sierra Leone: Valid certificate of Business Registration
• The Consulting firm/company is retained as the consultant to support the work of EnDev in Sierra Leone. The Lead consultant should have experience in IT and International cooperation
• should have at least 5 years of track record and experience in energy access, project planning, 
• and IT Solid methodological and research skill; proficiency in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques; fluency in English language; strong report writing and presentation skills.

• The firm/company shall propose a local team that includes and or should be at their discretion.
• Lead consultant (International and local experience)
• IT and statistics specialist (local)
• IT Officer/Trainer (local)
• Office Manager (local)
• Cleaner (local)

Daily Consulting Fee Rate:

• To be determined by the consultant firm/company as it relates to the services to be provided within their capacity in line with GIZ’s planned budget.

Travel and other expenses (as lump sums) 

• Travel cost and accommodation expenditure within Sierra Leone for the students/trainees will be borne by GIZ/EnDev and its collaborating partners at GIZ rate within the project budget. 
• The Consultant firm/company workshops and seminars cost/expenditure within Sierra Leone will be borne by GIZ/EnDev when requested. All workshop and seminars expenditures are based on evidence.

Submission of Expressions of Interest

Consulting Firms should submit their “Expression of Interest” to the below email address

SL_Quotation@giz.de

not later than 6^th October 2023, 5:00 PM local time with the subject “EOI Application for Q-HIP” – “COSOFT NUMBER 83448876”

Submission should not exceed four pages (excluding copies of documents) using font and font size of Arial and 11 respectively, at line spacing 1.15. For any questions, contact sl_enquiry@giz.de on or before 2:pm 4^th October 2023 with the subject “EoI Application for Q-HIP”.

Only prequalified interested enterprises will be contacted with a template for detailed elaboration of the proposal. However, a brief profile that details your experiences in similar partnership will be required (see “Submission condition” above).